Category Archives: Cleaning

The height of summer’s heat is behind us. Mornings and nights are definitely cooler. That means spiders and other creepy crawlies are seeking a warm place for the winter. And our homes are the best lodgings to be had.

One way to deal with spider invasions is to prevent them. I prefer to use the power of essential oils to make my own spider/insect repellant.

I rounded up a list of essential oils insect repellants from several aromatherapy books. And if pregnant or nursing, or suffering from an ailment, research the effects of the oils before using and always consult your health care provider and/or aromatherapist. Here’s the list:

Lavender

Cedarwood

Citronella

Eucalyptus (has a slight estrogen-like effect on the body)

Geranium (avoid in early stages of pregnancy)

Lemongrass

Clove

Of course, the recipe I use remains a closely guarded family secret. However, here is a good one from the site MountainRoseHerbs.com.

This mixture can also be sprayed around the house, especially in the places where a spider might enter the home. It can also be sprayed outside the home near entrances and windows. Be careful when spraying in conspicuous areas of fabrics, furniture, window drapes, and walls.

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Everyone loves garbage disposals until it’s cleaning day. Make this chore easy by doing the following. Remember to never stick your hands in a garbage disposal. And should it need to be done, turn off the fuse to your garbage disposal first.

Clearing Out Sludge
Fill disposal with 2 cups of ice cubes. Next, pour 1 cup of rock salt (or vinegar) over the ice. Then run cold water and turn on the disposal. Let disposal run for about 5 to 10 seconds. This should knock the sludge loose.

Flushing the Drain Line
It’s important to clear the drain line after sludge removal to keep it from getting stuck in the line.

Cover the drain hole with the stopper. Then fill the sink with 2-4 inches of water. Unplug the stopper and turn on the garbage disposal. Do this each time after fibrous foods are put in the disposal.

Garbage Disposal Repairs
Repairing a non-working disposal is for the men. Thank your spouse when he fixes things.

Natural Cleaner/Freshener Recipe

Clean the disposal every few weeks to a month with this chem free method. Place this chore on your monthly cleaning list.

We have so much fun making (and using) our hand made household cleaning supplies. You’ll want these recipes for your own home. Print the furniture cleaners recipes [pdf] and place in your kitchen notebook under the appropriate category.

Homemade Furniture Cleaning Products

Polishing Cloth for Furniture
Use a piece of flannel or an old tee-shirt.

TV - Yes or No? [PDF] The Permanent Committee of Scholars have stated (in a fatwa) that the television is an instrument that in and of itself has no ruling regarding it; rather, the ruling applies to its use -- Dr. Saleh as-Saleh (rahimahullaah)